The Nature Conservancy has been working with AusAID, Australia’s overseas aid program, on the International Climate Change Adaptation Initiative (ICCAI), a program that seeks to help communities in Asia Pacific respond to the impacts of climate change. The ICCAI has made possible a vast array of development and conservation projects, which are boosting the resilience of communities throughout Melanesia. Cool Green Science recently spoke to Trish Kas, the Conservancy’s conservation program manager in Papua New Guinea’s Manus Province, about her involvement in the work and how a giant 3D model of the province will help make a huge difference for local people.

CGS: So we know that this project involves a lot of different places throughout the Pacific. Why did Manus Province get involved with the AusAID-supported climate change adaptation project activities?

Trish: Manus is the northern-most province in PNG—it’s a big series of islands and atolls, with Manus Island being the biggest. Manus Island has 50,000 people and the province’s capital, Lorengau, which is the region’s one point of administrative contact. The province covers both land and marine areas and has one of the world’s highest concentrations of biodiversity, but it’s been severely affected by climate change impacts like sea level rise—perhaps more than any other province in PNG. Six of Manus’s smaller atolls have been lost to the sea, and people here are faced with other climate change issues as well, including lack of access to clean water and food as well as hotter temperatures. So local people have to develop adaptation measures that are both culturally and physically appropriate for them. That’s where the Conservancy can help.

CGS: How do you go about figuring out which adaptation measures work best in the local context?

Trish: It’s simple: by talking to the people that live there. I helped facilitate one workshop with local people on potential climate change measures and worked with local leaders to take stock of local resources like freshwater and assess how communities use those resources. I also helped launch the P3D [participatory 3D] modeling process, which took place in Lorengau. Through P3D, communities build a scale model of their region—it reveals not just natural landmarks but how people relate to the environment as well. By building a giant map of Manus, we learned a lot more about how people interact with nature.

CGS: Were people excited about the P3D process? Or did you have to win them over?

Trish: People were very enthusiastic. This was the first time a province-scale model had been created, so it was definitely a new thing for them. The workshop was supposed to last for 10 days, but after starting the process, we quickly realized that building the model alone would take maybe 15 days. As a result, villagers worked nights and weekends to complete the map, which ended up looking great and allowed us to have a successful workshop.

CGS: Wow, that’s incredible.

Trish: Many of the participants were also mothers and fathers from outlying islands, and they spent roughly two weeks away from their families in order to build the model. It really showed how important these adaptation efforts are to these communities.

CGS: What did people take away from the P3D process?

Trish: We realized that mapping must be one of the tools communities use to do management planning for their marine and terrestrial resources. Without a map, it’s impossible to visualize the state of Manus’s resources, which is key to guiding the region toward sustainability and establishing best practices that will ensure the long-term health of local resources. I think they learned that it will take solid plans to establish agriculture, fishery and forestry practices that preserve local resources for future generations.

CGS: So that’s what Manus took away from this. How about the Conservancy?

Trish: This whole process was another really striking example of the good that comes from letting local people take the lead. By facilitating community efforts and helping them to gather traditional knowledge, we can complement their conservation projects with our science and planning expertise, but the impetus for our involvement has to come from them.

Mark Tercek is the president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy. This post was originally published on the The Huffington Post. You can follow Mark on Twitter @MarkTercek.

I recently spoke at a Wall Street Journal ECO:nomics session titled “China: Friend or Foe of Green Capitalism”?

No doubt it’s a complicated question.

Home to a staggering one-fifth of the world’s population, China has been growing rapidly for the past three decades. This growth has come at the expense of the country’s environment. China faces massive deforestation, deadly air pollution and disappearing wetlands. It is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. If current trends continue, water stress may force millions of environmental refugees from their homes, in search of a basic necessity.

Yet there are reasons for cautious optimism.

Increasingly, China’s government, business leaders and average citizens understand that continued economic growth and social stability will rely on a healthy environment.

In 1998, for example, devastating floods in the Yangtze River Basin killed thousands of people, left millions homeless and caused more than $25 billion in economic loss. When scientists found that deforestation played a major role in the flooding, China’s government immediately halted all tree cutting in the upper portion of the river. They recognized that the important services trees provide—reducing soil erosion, improving water quality and mitigating the risks of flood damage—are worth three times the trees’ value in timber. The country now boasts the world’s most ambitious reforestation program, planting billions of trees a year.

Admittedly, China’s logging ban along the Yangtze led to illegal logging elsewhere throughout the region. The country initially denied any culpability. Today, however, China is playing an increasingly important role in the global effort to promote responsible forest management and the trade in legal timber products.

For example, it is one of eight countries working with The Nature Conservancy, WWF and others as part of the Responsible Asia Forestry and Trade (RAFT) program, a USAID-funded initiative to strengthen every aspect of Asia’s timber trade—from corporate practices to public policy. And here in the US, a 2008 amendment to the Lacey Act prohibiting trade in illegal timber is further pushing China, which dominates the global wood processing industry, to take steps to exclude illegally harvested and sourced timber from its own markets.

China’s businesses also increasingly recognize the value of healthy, functioning natural systems. Consider the country’s huge dam industry. Already home to nearly half of the world’s dams, by 2020 China plans to more than double its hydropower capacity. These new dams will provide energy for millions, but can have serious impacts on ecosystems and the fish supplies that sustain those same people. For instance, if China goes ahead with the proposed Xiaonanhai dam above Chongqing, it would devastate the largest nature reserve on the Yangtze.

That’s why my organization, The Nature Conservancy, is working with dam builders, including the China Three Gorges Corporation, to help design and operate dams in ways that minimize environmental impacts. We have found that restoring wetlands downstream not only soaks up floodwaters and provides important wildlife habitat, but also allows dam operators to elevate the level of the reservoir behind a dam and produce more power. The revenue from that added power will more than pay for the wetland restoration. It’s a great win-win for nature, people and business.

Myanmar provides an interesting contrast. Last year, the country’s government indefinitely suspended the Chinese-backed $3.6 billion Myitsone dam project on the Irrawaddy River—in part because important environmental considerations were ignored in the dam’s planning. The decision was a wake-up call to Chinese companies and officials. Chairman of the China Power Investment Corporation Lu Qizhou acknowledged, “Chinese companies should learn from this experience to better cooperate with nongovernmental organizations in foreign countries.” His statement is an encouraging sign of a growing awareness among China’s business leaders. They understand that higher environmental standards can have a positive impact on a company’s bottom line.

The Nature Conservancy is fortunate to have many of these environmentally-aware leaders on our China Board of Trustees. Although formed less than three years ago, the group is already making an enormous impact. In Sichuan Province, the Board helped set up a foundation to protect Panda habitat in Sichuan, using an innovative land trust model that is already attracting attention elsewhere in China. And their commitment to conservation extends beyond China’s borders. China Board members are raising millions of dollars for a Global Conservation Fund designed to match US donor support to high-impact conservation projects around the world.

These leaders are just a few of the millions of voices in a growing call to environmental action among Chinese citizens. After the US Embassy began tweeting hourly air quality readings from its compound in Beijing, angry residents launched a public campaign to demand more accurate reporting from the Chinese government. Those voices were a key factor in China recently adopting a more honest and accurate way of describing air quality than the system used to date.

To be sure, China’s environmental challenges are enormous. But as the country’s government, businesses and ordinary citizens increasingly recognize the link between healthy natural systems and the country’s prosperity, we have an equally big opportunity to help the country achieve a sustainable future.

(Image: Local children in Deqin, Yunnan, China. Image credit: ©Deng Jia)

Jack Hurd is the director of the Asia-Pacific Forest Program for The Nature Conservancy. This is the second in a series of posts on Myanmar; revist the first post to catch up.

Myanmar (also known as Burma) has long been associated with rich tropical forests. In fact, what is now known as the Myanmar Selection System was developed more than 150 years ago as the ideal approach to managing tropical forests with many tree species but only a few with commercial value.

Unfortunately, forest management standards in the country went into a long period of decline over the past 50 years thanks to a succession of military rulers, and the concept of sustainability was subordinated to more pressing political and economic interests. Now, the landscape in Myanmar is changing fast.

Myanmar has about 30 million hectares of forest, representing 45 percent of its land. Approximately 16 million of those hectares can be considered teak forest. What is stunning, however, is that this represents approximately 85 percent of the world’s naturally occurring teak. There are other valuable tropical hardwood trees — mahogany, ironwood, etc. — but in Asia, teak is king. And, as a brand, teak resonates in markets around the globe.

So what’s the government of Myanmar doing about the management of its forests? At this point, we’re not totaly sure. But as the country opens its doors to foreign involvement, there’s a better chance that some of the following actions may take place in Myanmar.

• Develop a Grand Plan for Forest Management: Due to sanctions levied against Myanmar by the US and the EU, international institutions like the World Bank that would normally assist countries with planning around natural resource usage have been forbidden to help out. If the political process of re-engagement continues and sanctions are lifted, those international institutions could return, and the government would be wise to take advantage of international forestry expertise. Adopting a sector-wide approach to managing this key strategic resource would clearly be in the best long-term interests of the country.

• Refine Forest Zoning: Different forests require different management solutions. In areas where communities are heavily dependent on forests for their livelihoods and survival, local people need to be involved in management. In forests of high value to biodiversity, forests should be managed by the government for strict protection. And in many teak forests, management should revert back to a version of the Myanmar Selection System designed to ensure a sustainable supply of high-quality teak for domestic and international markets. Myanmar has valuable forestland that requires a mosaic approach, incorporating multiple land use forms and objectives.

• Bring Transparency to the Management of Production Forests: Currently, there is little faith in discerning high-value markets as to the legality, let alone sustainability, of Myanmar’s hardwoods. Yet, given its enormous supply, the government can strengthen and differentiate its brand in the marketplace by adopting better tracking and reporting practices. While Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification is a long ways off, third-party approval of Myanmar’s forestry practices would assuage international concerns in a big way.

• Attract the Optimum Amount of Value-Added Processing Capacity: International sanctions have stymied the development of value-added processing (or, the ability to make wood-based products for both domestic and international markets). As such, Myanmar’s timber is primarily exported as raw material. By attracting investment to value-added processing, the value of forests increases, as timber generates higher returns, creates jobs and provides tax revenue.

Right now, Myanmar’s forests are under-valued, and that’s led to overexploitation and forest degradation. In a country that’s plagued by poverty, where forests have long served as a social safety net for community groups, that outcome has been devastating, removing an important source of livelihood and income for villagers. It’s a bleak picture, but there are two reasons for hope.

The first is that, even over the past few decades, the forests have had advocates in Myanmar — people trying to help officials and land managers build on what they have. This means that there are local experiences in place, and international organizations can and should seek to build on this foundation.

Second, the country’s increasing openness means there’s a good chance that international sanctions will be eased this year. The EU recently committed 150 million Euros in assistance to Myanmar and will revisit the idea of listing the sanctions later in the calendar year. This would provide the country with the opportunity to learn the lessons of other regional developing countries and use the latest critical thinking in managing forests to protect valuable natural resources that will sustain its people for generations.

(Image: Building teak rafts to transport logs down a river. Credit: Anne-Carole Fooks.)

1. How’s this for wacky weather?  It snowed in Libya.  (Green)
2. Ratu, one of the last remaining Sumatran rhinos, is in her 11th month of pregnancy.  Only five more months to go!  (Mongabay)
3. Yesterday, one of the world’s most climate-conscious leaders was forced to resign in a coup d’état.  (Grist)
4. At least in California, green jobs weathered the recession much better than conventional jobs.  (GreenBiz)
5. What are the greenest cars on the market today?  (CleanTechnica)

February 11: Mahalo Nui Loa

As my week in Palau comes to an end, I am filled with gratitude and hope for the future of coral reefs here.  Our closing dinner was held at the Palau International Coral Reef Center, complete with taro served five ways, fresh sashimi and enough tapioca to fill me twice over—an amazing finish to an amazing trip.

During the closing ceremonies, each person that had participated had an opportunity to share their thoughts. As with other end-of-day reflections throughout the week, I was struck by how powerfully the experience had affected each participant.  Some were too choked up to say more than “Mahalo” (Hawaiian for “Thank you”), but most shared more on their heartfelt gratitude, what they learned and most importantly, the responsibility they felt to share this experience with their family, friends and communities upon returning home.

What struck me the most is that these six days had turned a group that at the beginning had hardly known each other at all into family. Kimi Werner, a champion free diver and spearfisher, said it best when she referred to the group as her “newfound clan” — one that she promised to hold up and keep strong as each member returned home to continue their important work.

Our journey was also one of self-discovery. One participant said he now realized that he had had to come all the way from Hawaii to Palau to get to know himself.  As he put it: We already knew what to do — it is part of our ancestry — and coming to Palau was simply a profound reminder of where we came from and the incredible responsibility we have to pass on the legacy of a healthy and abundant sea.

For my part, I thanked the group for their endurance (it was an intense week) and for the inspiration each of them had given me to keep going forward in the quest to save the most threatened habitat on Earth. The evening ceremonies closed with the visitors getting up in front of our Palauan hosts, led by the musical talents of Uncle Sol (Sol Kahoohalahala) from Maui on ukulele. With song lyrics in hand, we sang Aloha O’e (“Farewell to Thee”) — and I admit there were tears in my eyes. There is just something about the sea and the way it brings us all together. For that I am grateful and send my many thanks to all that joined me in this adventure and to those that made it possible. Mahalo nui loa.

[Image #1: Participants from Hawaii share their reflections after a day visiting a local fish hatchery.  Image #2: One last view of Palau. Image credit: Stephanie Wear.]

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February 10: Rock Islands Pick-Me-Up

Working to save coral reefs can be overwhelming — and, quite frankly, depressing at times. I usually maintain my optimism, but there are moments when I’m in need of inspiration and a reminder of what is possible.

Nothing cures me faster than a boat ride through the Rock Islands of Palau. I’ve been fortunate enough to take this boat ride (or kayak paddle) several times since my first trip here in 2004.  There is truly nothing like it. As I sit on the bow of the boat, wind in my hair, cruising through tight turns and narrow gaps between islands —feeling as if I am in an endless maze…I get this incredible overwhelming sense of happiness. A smile spreads across my face, I take in deep breaths, feeling exhilarated, and I think to myself — this is indeed my favorite place on Earth. This place inspires me — and compels me, really — to keep going and share the mission to protect reefs with others.

My time in Palau is highlighting these deep emotional connections so many of us have to the sea. I have seen this each evening when our learning exchange group gathers to share reflections and lessons from the day. Many times, the voices are strained from holding back tears, the words spoken are powerful, and we are all left knowing that we have been part of something special. A surprising example was the gratitude so many of our participants shared at the chance to eat turtle soup.  Unlike Hawaii, Palauans have been able to manage their turtle populations well enough that turtles are still a part of traditional meals held on the most special occasions. Many participants recalled the last time they had turtle, usually when they were small children. Eating the Palauan turtle soup reminded them of a beloved grandmother or uncle and their deep ancestral connections to sea.

In trying to tell others about the value of oceans and, more specifically, coral reefs, I often get caught up in the tangible values the sea brings us, such as food, jobs, and coastal security. I can easily forget the emotional and spiritual connection people feel with the sea and the inspiration and freedom that come with that. Fortunately, I have the ocean to remind me on a pretty regular basis. So much of our lives depend on a healthy ocean and coastal habitats. My colleagues with me this week are lucky enough to understand that.

[Image #1: The author in the Rock Islands.  Image credit: Chun-Wei Yi. Image #2: Another view of the Rock Islands. Image credit: Stephanie Wear.]

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February 9: No Island is an Island

As I’ve related in a recent post from Palau, Palauans manage and enforce environmental norms on the island communally. In Palau, social pressure from both within and outside the family is an important part of natural resource management — and that pressure makes decisions stick.

This social quality isn’t just a product of Palau’s traditional culture. Palauans are intimately tied to their environment — just like the rest of us. The difference is, they are aware of it. That awareness is a gift, and it gives Palauans a good chance of ensuring that the resources they depend on persist into the future.

But there’s one little problem with this happy scene. When it comes to its own fish, Palau isn’t really an island.

Let me explain. Palau, like many other small island nations, hosts a substantial foreign fishing fleet. Commercial fishing vessels from other countries pay fees to fish the waters within the boundaries of Palau’s EEZ (exclusive economic zone). The problems with this situation are numerous — regulation is minimal in many places, foreign vessels have no long-term interest in sustainability, and countries hosting these fleets are receiving a tiny fraction of the value of the fish leaving their waters. In Micronesia’s waters (approximately 3 million square miles of ocean), the majority of tuna being fished are caught by foreign fishing fleets. Very little benefit from that catch goes to the countries or territories with jurisdiction of those waters.

So how does a country like Palau — with its great social reinforcements for sustainability — operate in this context?

They might take a similar road as Indonesia, which has banned foreign fishing vessels unless the catch is processed in Indonesia (called an integral process in the fishing trade). In addition, by 2017, all foreign vessels in Indonesia must be manned by Indonesians. While these steps won’t solve all problems, employing Indonesians — who have a greater interest in seeing their resources thrive over the long-term — is certainly better than foreign visitors taking what they want and leaving.  (And I’m not even touching on the problem of illegal fishing, which is a chronic and pervasive problem globally.)

Palau hasn’t figured it out yet, but something tells me they will. I’m impressed with how Palau has joined forces with neighboring countries and territories in Micronesia and Melanesia to form the Nauru Agreement, a groundbreaking pact that could help save tuna from disastrous overfishing. The signatories, referred to as PNA (Parties to the Nauru Agreement), have agreed to jointly set criteria for distant fishing fleets — including a standardized licensing process, access fees, observer program and coordinated surveillance. These sorts of efforts go a long way towards keeping licensing fees fair.  While the historical trend has been for foreign fleets to play countries off each other to see who will offer the cheapest entry into their fishing grounds, efforts such as the Nauru Agreement go a long way toward keeping licensing fees fairly and fully priced. Having a fairly priced entry into the fishery, acts to limit the amount of fish taken as well as compensate the resource owners appropriately.  In fact, the PNA have become known as the “OPEC of tuna” because they are controlling access to tuna in their waters, thus increasing the benefits for Pacific Islanders (and a world that likes eating tuna). These waters supply 25% of the world’s tuna, with an estimated value exceeding $2 billion per year.

And I’m also impressed to learn that there are foreign boats under arrest for illegal fishing in the Koror harbor in Palau. That tells me the pact is working.

Of course, things are not perfect here, and Palau is not immune to the problem of overfishing.  As long as there are fish in Palau, Palau is not really an island. The pressures of global resource demands know no boundaries, and protecting those resources is always a work in progress. But by having a great communal ethic for responsible natural resource use and then reaching out to neighboring countries with innovative management schemes, Palau stands a chance to make it work.

[Image #1: A local fisherman's catch. Image #2: Foreign fishing vessels under arrest. Image credit: Stephanie Wear.]

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February 7: A Visit to a Bai, and a Lesson in Law Enforcement

Today I visited a bai, the traditional men’s meeting house in Palau. A bai is a long, spectacularly decorated wooden structure with a triangular roof that rests on beams and is built without nails, so that it can be disassembled. They are amazing. I’ve wanted visit one ever since I first visited Palau seven years ago, and it did not disappoint.

We visited the bai for Melekeok state, home to the high chief Reklai, the second highest ranking chief in Palau.  During my visit I learned about traditional Palauan decision-making processes as well as how laws here are enforced, which gave me some new insights into why it’s so difficult to protect the environment in many parts of the world.

Palau is comprised of 16 states, each with 10 chiefs and all of whom are ranked by clan status.  The highest-ranking chief from each state, the paramount chief, sits on the Council of Chiefs.  When chiefs gather to discuss problems of the village, they enter the bai and do not come out until they have reached consensus. If they cannot reach a decision, the four highest-ranking chiefs step outside the bai and sit on designated rocks, where they come to a decision.  This is then shared with the rest of the chiefs and the village.

Today’s focus was on enforcement of environmental laws, and so I heard about how offenders are dealt with. Village elders recounted specific stories, naming names along the way and describing various offenses, including fines and other penalties… usually for taking fish that wasn’t theirs to take.

When someone violates rules of the village, they come before the chiefs — but they don’t come alone.  They come with their families — mothers, uncles, sisters, etc., and the families plead their case. It is a great shame upon your family to bring them before the village elders.

And that peer pressure and shame have proven to be very effective in enforcing norms in Palau. Think about it: How would you feel if your father had to be humiliated in his community for something that you did — as well as share in the punishment?  Wouldn’t you think twice?

Palauans believe that environmental transgressions are social ones, too; they understand that, when someone takes or destroys a natural resource, it affects everyone, and the impacts can be long-lasting or even irreparable. How do you measure that? How do you exact a penalty that matches the crime? In Palau, there are monetary and material penalties (hefty fines or loss of equipment, including things such as boats).  Their fines match the crime. Not surprisingly, repeat offenders are rare.

Choosing proper penalties for environmental degradation is a perennial topic of conversation for marine conservationists all over the world. Such penalties are weak in many places and for many situations; judicial systems also often don’t enforce the laws already on the books. We see this at every level, from poacher to corporate polluter.

A big part of the problem is that most contemporary societies don’t really view most actions that hurt the environment as social acts. From driving a mile to the grocery store to polluting a waterway to not buying energy that’s renewable when you have the option, people see their habits as individual ones, not ones that add up and have a social cost. But most societies don’t have collective penalties for environmental transgressions, either. In Palau, the environment is everything, and the country’s social norms reflect that. It will probably take something drastic to make the rest of us realize that our resources really are limited and that we need to take greater measures to hold people accountable. Palau’s resort to social shaming in the service of the greater good might seem drastic to us; but it clearly works.

[Images: Two views of the Melekeok bai. Image credit: Stephanie Wear]

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February 6, 2012:  A Sea That Unites Us

Here on Palau, I am just back from our first day of a learning exchange between several communities spread across the Hawaiian Islands, the country of Palau, and the territory of American Samoa.  Today we went to Palau’s Capitol Building, which was modeled after the U.S. Capitol and was built as a symbol of Palau’s democracy. The neoclassic architecture, complete with a domed building, stands out in a landscape surrounded by forest and crystal clear blue waters.

We were welcomed at the Capitol by Palau’s Council of the Chiefs.  There are 16 high chiefs in Palau, and we heard from many of them about values they and we share in protecting the environment for people.  We brought gifts and shared in some amazing moments — like when our Hawaii delegation chanted oli’s (Hawaiian chants) to connect their ancestors to those of the Palauans, and to share their gratitude for the welcome extended by the high chiefs.

I got emotional at times like this, I must admit. Something really special happened in that room. It was powerful to be sitting among so many like-minded folks, in a formal government building while oli’s were exchanged by people using words of their ancestors. I won’t soon forget it.  We felt fortunate to hear from the chiefs as they shared their passion for protecting their region’s natural resources for the future.

The words of one chief continue to resonate with me. He said, “The sea does not divide us — it brings us all together, it unites us.” He spoke of the ocean’s waves, and how the same waves that reach the shores of Palau also make their way to American Samoa and Hawaii.  He’s right: the ocean connects all people to all places.  The theme of connection is sure to resonate throughout our week together, and what it means will be something I continue to discuss with my colleagues.

But it’s a theme that has yet to resonate with most people elsewhere. Even though people depend for their very lives on the sea, most still don’t understand that. We might understand how deeply we all need clean air or productive land, but the ocean as a symbol of global unity is basically invisible to the public — and that lack of visibility diminishes whether people think about the ocean as a place that needs protection and care.

Maybe we need to frame the importance of the ocean in terms of self-preservation. In protecting the oceans, we protect and care for ourselves. The planet’s “circulatory system” of ocean currents functions much like the arteries of the human body, nourishing and rejuvenating life at sea and on land. Oceans are absolutely vital to how the planet stays alive, and we should have a much better understanding of it than we do.

All of us struggle in conservation with how to make these connections real, meaningful and immediate to people who can’t see the underwater wonders of Palau or hear the passion of these exchange participants. How do we connect the sea to the most basic needs that we all have as humans — and in doing so, create an opportunity to preserve those resources for the future?  I have a feeling this week will give me a lot of opportunities to ponder this immense challenge.

[Image:  Stephanie Wear and her colleagues in Palau. Image source: Stephanie Wear]

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February 5, 2012:  Greetings from Palau!

I’ve just returned to one of my favorite places on the planet: Palau, a tiny country with less than 20,000 citizens in the middle of the Pacific Ocean — a tiny speck on the map. For what it lacks in size, Palau makes up for with some of the most stunning scenery both above and below the sea’s surface.

Stepping off the plane, I was greeted by the sweet smells of the tropics, salty humid air and darkness. Coming and going from Palau seems to always take place in the middle of the night, which means I’ve never managed to get an aerial view. In fact, I’ve only seen it from above in scenes from episodes of Survivor: Palau! Before that television show, most people had never heard of this wonderful country. Now it’s clear the secret is out. Each time I return, tourism has expanded — the tour boats are full — and the local people seem as happy as ever to share this long-kept secret.

It’s easy to see why Palau’s coral reefs have been named one of the seven underwater wonders of the world. The reefs are thriving; in fact, coral colonies can be seen growing on top of each other. This was not the case 14 years ago when, in 1998, Palau was hit by a global mass bleaching event. Within weeks, the vibrant, colorful, teeming-with-life reefs were barren, colorless and quiet.

Yet, those vibrant reefs are back and showing signs of incredible recovery. This is one of the most exciting and hopeful things a coral reef scientist can hear. Given the state of much of the globe’s coral reefs, it is easy to lose hope and hand down the death sentence for reefs — but there are reefs in Palau and around the world that just keep coming back, giving us real hope and a rationale to keep on working.

This week I am in Palau with a group of community members and Nature Conservancy staff from the Hawaiian Islands. Our Conservancy colleagues from Palau are hosting us, and together we are going on a journey of discovery to better understand what is happening in Palau, both on land and in the sea. We will be visiting villages, speaking with village elders and chiefs and learning about how Palau is managing its natural resources using traditional methods and laws. What we learn on this journey is sure to provide insight into how to best protect and ultimately save coral reefs from their threatened demise.

Follow us on our journey — if it is anything like Palau’s coral reefs, it will be colorful and inspiring.

[Image: Aerial view of Kmekumer, Rock Islands, Republic of Palau. Image source: Jez O'Hare]

What’s the best way to protect the world’s dwindling grasslands from conversion to agriculture or parking lots?

Get the people who live on them to buy into their protection, according to a new analysis of a Gobi Desert project by Nature Conservancy scientists and colleagues.

The study — published in the online journal PLoS ONE — looked at whether a Gobi Desert grasslands conservation project (led jointly by the governments of Mongolia and Germany) had any measurable benefits not just for biodiversity, but human well-being as well. Like a recent Conservancy-led study from South Africa, the researchers found that both projects increased household incomes and grasslands biodiversity — by more than 10% in the case of the Gobi project.

The key to success? Empowerment of the local communities to manage their own resources.

The Gobi project utilized community-led efforts to improve grazing management practices, develop alternative livelihoods and strengthen cooperation among local communities, governments and resource managers.

“No one has a greater incentive to manage natural resources sustainably than the local people who depend most on them,” says Craig Leisher, senior advisor on poverty and conservation for The Nature Conservancy.

But there’s still a catch in Mongolia: climate change, which is making summers and winters there harsher and putting pastoralist livelihoods on a razor-thin margin. Even with better pastures and healthier livestock, the community suffered devastating financial losses during the 2009-2010 dzud (a winter with colder temperatures and much more snow than normal).

Still, says Leisher, the study offers principles that could help the more than 25 countries worldwide with substantial herding and ranching activity.

(Image: A young herder leading his camel to new pastures, Mongolia. Credit: Tim Boucher/TNC)

1. Asia’s demand for pangolin meat shows up online. (Mongabay)
2. Sumatran elephants could be extinct in less than 30 years. (WWF)
3. Mercury pollution isn’t just for fish eaters in the Northeast anymore, a new study finds. (New York Times)
4. What are the most threatening invasive species in the North America? (Huffington Post Green)
5. Groundbreaking magnetic soap may help clean up oil spills. (BBC)

In Chinese culture, the number five is generally held to be a lucky number. That’s due in large part to the Wu Xing, or Five Elements: water, wood, metal, earth and fire.

It’s fitting, then, that when we took stock of what the Conservancy accomplished here in China throughout the course of 2011, we were especially proud of five landmark conservation accomplishments. And, as it turns out, we batted for the elemental cycle.

Water
In an unprecedented effort that saw the largest power station in the world alter its practices for ecological purposes, the Conservancy worked with the Three Gorges Dam to restore declining downstream carp populations. By helping to guide the release of excess water, the Conservancy and partners sought to mimic natural river cycles that trigger breeding in local carp species, which have experienced devastating decreases in the last few decades. Early returns suggest that the water release resulted in higher levels of carp spawning, offering a bit of good news along a stretch of the Yangtze in bad need of it.

Wood
Well, there’s about to be much more of it: the Conservancy is leading Sichuan’s largest forest carbon project which will restore more than 40 square kilometers of forest in the province’s southwestern Liangshan region. In 2011 alone, we helped plant 1.2 million trees, and over the next four years we’ll plant a total of 10 million. These reforestation efforts will create jobs for local people, deliver measurable climate change results through accredited carbon credit programs and protect endangered wildlife, including species like the giant panda.

Metal
Speaking of pandas, small metal boxes containing motion-sensor cameras captured incredible images of wild animals in Sichuan Province. And these photos aren’t just revealing the region’s unrivaled richness in wildlife but are also providing invaluable resources for increasing our understanding of the natural world. Located on a parcel of land that will soon become one of China’s first forays into private land conservation, the Conservancy candid cameras photographed over 30 species of birds and mammals, including golden monkeys, takins, leopard cats, golden pheasants and pandas. One of the pandas was even caught eating meat, providing landmark visual evidence of the panda’s omnivorous appetite.

Earth
In even more panda news, the Conservancy and partners developed a new methodology that will allow bamboo reforestation to be classified as a clean development mechanism (CDM) activity. This news comes hot on the heels of China’s first domestic voluntary carbon market called the Panda Standard, and will for the first time allow conservationists to quantify carbon sequestration in bamboo sinks, which are currently ineligible in other carbon accounting methodologies. Bamboo is one of China’s most widely grown and harvested plants, meaning that the Panda Standard could play a huge role in restoring forested landscapes and accelerating China’s carbon economy.

Fire
And we go out with a bang. When the Conservancy celebrated its 60th anniversary in Washington, DC earlier this year, Board of Directors member Jack Ma made an explosive announcement. Ma, one of China’s leading entrepreneurs, announced the China Global Conservation Fund, a new project that will significantly expand the Conservancy’s global reach. The fund is being established by a group of philanthropic Chinese to channel millions of dollars toward high-impact conservation projects around the world. The first project to receive support from the fund will be an initiative to save Kenya’s critically endangered hirola antelope.

And now, as we leave the Year of the Rabbit, these five projects leave us well positioned to expand on our success and enjoy an even more prosperous Year of the Dragon. Good luck and good fortune in 2012.

(Images: Panda eating meat captured by motion sensor cameras stationed on the Motianling County Land Trust Reserve in northern Sichuan. Image credit: TNC. Harvesting bamboo for basket production in Yunnan Province, China. © Ami Vitale.)

1. An Indonesian rock band highlights the plight of the orangutan in song.  (Mongabay)
2. Save energy (and money!):  tint your windows.  (CleanTechnica)
3. The Interior Department has banned the import of four nonnative snakes.  (Green)
4. White nose syndrome has killed an estimated seven million bats.  (Washington Post)
5. The new science classroom battle:  climate change.  (Wired)

1. Lost Darwin fossils found (in a cabinet of all places!). (BBC)
2. Will the wrecked Costa Concordia cruise ship lead to environmental damage? (TreeHugger)
3. Every state is number one in something. This cool infographic hands out superlatives. (Mother Nature Network)
4. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the fight for the environment. (Grist)
5. Asia’s fish markets drive manta and mobula rays to the brink of extinction. (Green)